Vintage store loses £150k of uninsured jewels

Raiders have stolen £150,000-worth of uninsured gold and diamond jewellery from vintage clothing and jewellery shop The Souk in Haworth.

The raid took place at 2am yesterday when two people pulled out a section of the shop’s window, prised open the window bars and climbed inside. The shop’s alarm was activated but it is reported that nobody heard it go off.

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The Souk owner Dianne Bentley is offering a £5,000 reward for any information leading to the conviction of those involved in smashing up her store. Police have since arrested a 34-year-old man.

The jewellery stolen will not be covered by The Souk’s insurance policy as the jewellery was left out in cabinets overnight rather than being put away in a safe, so the business is now £150,000 down.

In an interview with local newspaper The Telegraph & Argus The Souk partner Andreas Marinkovic criticised cash-for-gold companies for making it too easy for stolen jewellery to be sold on.

He said: “The core of the business is destroyed. I think it’s just a sign of the times. Anything that’s metal that can be sold off for cash is just a target. I’m sure someone is paying out for this stuff right now.

“It’s cash, no questions asked. Until the government passes a law saying it has to be cashless transactions, this will carry on and on.”